A relative age is the age of a fossil organism, rock, or geologic feature or event defined relative to other organisms, rocks, or features or events rather than in terms of years.Tradition paleontological and biostratigraphic correlation methods are still perhaps the most common relative dating methods used by geologists.Volcanic ash layers often have unique chemical and physical characteristics that can be used for correlation.

Biostratigraphy is the science of correlation of sedimentary units base on the identifiable fossils they contain.A more realistic picture might show researchers digging in smelly mud for hours under the hot sun while battling relentless mosquitoes. Examine the validity of the standard interpretation of carbon-14 dating by asking several questions: The methods are all based on radioactive decay: This is done by counting the number of pieces of each style of the artifact in each stratigraphic layer and then graphing the data.Of dates via different dating methods provides a highest degree of confidence in dating. Completely independently of anything to do with other.Paleomagnetic dating is based on correlation of measurements derived from oriented samples to established records of variations of the Earth's magnetic field through time.Paleomagnetism can be used in conjunction with other correlation or dating methods to establish the age or rocks or to decipher changes in a rock's orientation through time.